OUR Ballarat Football League top 20 has been dominated by midfielders since we first produced one in April 2011.
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The very first number one was a key forward (Paul McMahon), but since then rovers, ruck rovers, centremen, onballers, whatever people care to name them these days, have held most of the top positions.
Last year’s grand final showed the value of big men, though. Jay Cheep, Ross Sleight and Grant Bell were influential, of course, but the men who really set it up were Simon Clarke and Pat Cariss.
That is our overall impression from last year, and it has coloured our thinking heading into the new season.
Cariss is the Red Onion BFL’s most imposing ruckman and he will be front and centre at the very first bounce of the season on Saturday at Clarke Oval. While there would be debate about who is the number one midfielder in the BFL, I doubt whether there are many who would argue against Cariss.
Last year, he kicked 11 goals and he is agile enough to provide plenty around the ground as well.
One opposition ruckman from last year said he was simply the hardest player to go up against.
This season’s top 20 is one of the most difficult to choose because there are plenty of unknowns.
How much time will Mathew Sutton spend on the ground? Will Jarrod Edwards play at all? How will ex-VFL players Marc Greig and Andrew Duhau adapt to the different standard? Will Nigel Otto return to the standard he set when he last played for the Swans?
Then there will be some notable absentees from last year. Malcom Niblett is out for much of the season with a knee injury and Matthew Bilton is up at Carisbrook.
It definitely all adds up to make this one of the most difficult top 20s to pick to date.
